“In this post I'll take you through an updated tour of the Windows Azure platform. It's 2011, and the Windows Azure platform is coming up on the first anniversary of its commercial release. Much has been added in the last year, especially with the end-of-year 1.3 update. This will give you a good overview of what's in the platform now. Note, a few of these services are still awaiting release. This is an excerpt from my upcoming book, The Azure Handbook.”

David goes on to outline and summarize the different components (and sub-components) that make up the Windows Azure platform:

The Core Services

The SQL Azure Database Services, and

The AppFabric / Enterprise Services

If you were ever in need of a clear, concise, well-organized introduction of what Windows Azure is all about, this is it.